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Newport Cliff Walk

Backyard views of the famous mansions to one side, a beautiful rocky coastline to the other

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Rating: 4 out of 5 by EveryTrail members

Difficulty: Easy

Length: 3.5 miles

Duration: 1-3 hours

Overview :
Would you call a home with 70 rooms a cottage? If not, you’re obviously not Cornelius Vanderbilt II. The Breakers, the “summer cottage... more »” of the 19th-century multimillionaire, is one of a dozen mansions in Newport that are now by far the city’s top attractions. Many of the homes are open to the public for tours, giving you a peek into the lives of the privileged.

For a view of the mansions from the backyards, take the Cliff Walk, which runs south along Newport’s cliffs from Easton’s Beach (also called First Beach) to Bailey’s Beach. The promenade has views of opulent mansions on one side and the rocky coastline on the other; walking any section of it is worth the effort. less «

Tips:
The 3 1/2-mile Cliff Walk can be accessed from any road running east off Bellevue Avenue. The unpaved sections can be difficult for... more » small children, strollers, and people with mobility problems. less «

Points of Interest

The largest of the Newport mansions was built in 1895 for Cornelius Vanderbilt II, president of the New York Central Railroad. Architect Richard Morris Hunt modeled the four-story, 70-room residence after the palaces of the Italian Renaissance. From the outside, beginning with your walk through the Ivy League–like gate, you can see that this... More mansion is not only big but grand—be sure to look for the sculpted figures tucked above the pillars. A few of the marvels within are a blue marble fireplace, rose alabaster pillars in the dining room, and a porch with a mosaic ceiling that took Italian artisans six months, lying on their backs, to install.

Newport’s most romantic mansion was built in 1902, commissioned by Tessie Hermann Oelrichs, who inherited a Nevada silver fortune from her father. Stanford White modeled the palace after the Grand Trianon at Versailles. Rosecliff has a heart-shaped staircase and Newport’s largest private ballroom. Some scenes from The Great Gatsby and True Lies... More were filmed here.

The original mistress of this oceanfront mansion, Caroline Schermerhorn Astor, was the queen of American society in the late 19th century. Her husband, William Backhouse Astor, was a member of one of the wealthiest families in the nation. As you’re guided through the 1857 mansion, actors in period costume play the family, servants, and household... More guests. Murder mysteries and musical events are performed July through October; Victorian holiday events are held in November and December.

One of the most opulent of the Newport mansions, the Richard Hunt Morris–designed home is known for its extravagant gold ballroom. The house was completed in 1892 by William Vanderbilt, who gave it as a gift to his wife, Alva. Alva divorced William in 1895 and married Oliver Perry Belmont, becoming the lady of Belcourt Castle. When Oliver died in ... More1908, she returned to Marble House and spent much of her time campaigning for women’s rights. Don’t miss the intriguing Chinese teahouse, built behind the estate in 1914.

The late tobacco heiress and preservationist Doris Duke hosted such celebs as Elizabeth Taylor at her Newport mansion. The 105-room home was built in the English manor style in 1889. Miss Duke filled Rough Point with works by such masters as Renoir and Reynolds (of all the Newport mansions, Duke’s has the best art collection). Furnishings range... More from the elaborate to the peculiar and reflect the look of the mansion during Duke’s final days here. Tours include an annual changing exhibit.

To tour the mansion, you must make an online reservation or take the Rough Point shuttle from the Newport Visitors’ Information Center (23 America’s Cup Ave.).

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